1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an aerial missile containing multiple submissiles which can be individually ejected from the aerial missile in a direction which is generally opposite to the path of the missile.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Aerial missiles containing multiple submissiles are described in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 107,023, filed Dec. 26, 1979, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,216. Therein the aerial missile includes multiple launch tubes, each containing a submissile which can be ejected in a direction opposite to the path of the aerial missile. The launch tubes function in groups concurrently to discharge a volley of submissiles in response to a common actuator. The flexibility of the aerial missile could be greatly increased if the submissiles could be individually launched from the aerial missile without need to activate an entire group of launch tubes. The flexibility of the aerial missile could be further increased if the individual submissiles could be discharged at selected ejection velocities.